Introduction to the book of Joshua:

The book of Joshua tells the story of Israel’s crossing of the Jordan and the conquest of Canaan. The ‘Promised Land’ is not a picture of heaven – Hebrews 3 and 4 shows Canaan as a picture of the rest and victory that can be enjoyed by every Christian believer in this life. Many scholars connect the book of Joshua with Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, which describes a spiritual walk of promise, wealth, and victory that are ours in Christ.

The Greek name Jesus translates the Hebrew name יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (Yehow-shuwa, or Joshua, ‘God saves’). Whatever Israel received in the Promised Land, they received through the hand of Joshua; whatever we receive from God we receive through Jesus Christ, our ‘Joshua’…

The history of Israel from Egypt to Canaan:

• Israel was delivered from Egypt, symbolizing our deliverance from the bondage of sin;
• Israel, led by Moses, wandered in the Sinai wilderness; during that time, Israel experienced supernatural providence such as the supply of manna, water from rocks, the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, and they also received God’s revelation, the Law;
• the land of Canaan (the Promised Land) represents the destination of God’s people after they have been set free from sin’s bondage. See 1 Corinthians 10 v 11.

Joshua’s personal background:

Joshua was the eldest son of Nun – his genealogy is given in 1 Chronicles 7 v 20 to 27 and shows that some of his ancestors were cattle thieves! He first appears fighting the Amalekites just two months after the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 17 v 8 to 16), and he was with Moses on Mount Sinai in the golden calf episode (Exodus 32 v 15 to 20). 

Joshua was one of the 12 sent to spy out the land of Canaan; he and Caleb were the only ones to bring back a good report – and the only ones to enter the Promised Land, after 40 years wandering in the wilderness (for an abridged version of the story, read the attached excerpts from Numbers 13 and 14).